Baby Blues
by Juliane729
Summary: Belle and Shawn are married and want to start a family, what's stopping them? (I'm really bad at summaries, sorry)
1. Chapter 1

Baby Blues By Juliane729  
  
Summary: Belle and Shawn are married and want to start a family. This is their journey to parenthood.  
  
Author's Notes: This is my first DOOL Fan Fic. I started writing this right around the time the viewing audience found out Marlena was the Salem Stalker. I'm publishing it as of May 20th, 2004, and as of right now on TV, Marlena and all of her victims are dead. I tried to be as accurate as I could with background from 'Days' past but even the real DOOL writers have trouble with that, so I apologize for any mistakes. I am in no way affiliated with Days Of Our Lives and I'm just borrowing the characters for my story so please don't sue me ( . I hope you enjoy the story and constructive feedback is appreciated!  
  
Background: Shawn and Belle decided after Alice was murdered by the SS that life was too short and they got married. Eventually John discovered that Marlena was the Salem Stalker. Marlena escaped from jail and was gunned down on the roof of the prison. She died from the gunshot wound. It's 6 months after the killings stopped.  
  
Chapter 1  
  
I rolled over in bed, opened my eyes and found Shawn's side empty. I had a moment of panic when he was not there. After everything we'd been through in the last year, who could blame me? I soon calmed down when I heard the shower running. I was still having nightmares about the Salem Stalker. I still couldn't wrap my mind around the fact that my mother was the person who had brutally slaughtered 9 people in Salem. If I hadn't witnessed her confessions under the truth serum, I really would not have believed it was her at all. Now the media hype has calmed down and life is starting to get back to normal.  
  
I heard the shower stop and Shawn emerged from the bathroom with nothing but a towel on. My goodness, my husband is so hot! He noticed I was awake and came over to kiss me. "Good morning sweetheart," he whispered in my ear. "Good morning to you too." I replied, "You're up and around pretty early for a Saturday morning." He explained, "Well, I told my parents that I would watch Zack today while they went for a day trip. I haven't seen much of the little guy and they needed some time alone, so we're killing two birds with one stone. Do you want to come with us? We've got a fun filled day planned for the park, the zoo, and then lunch at the pub." I looked into his beautiful brown eyes, entranced for a moment. "Oh, I don't want to intrude on a Brady boys' day out. Besides, I think I'm going to go over and see how Jennifer and Abby are doing. Jenn is due any day now, so I want to see if I can help them with anything. Thanks for the offer though." Shawn looked a little disappointed for a split second, but quickly recovered. "You don't know what you're missing, but it's OK, maybe if you're good, I'll bring you something from the zoo." He said coyly. He walked over to the bureau to get some clothes out. "O.K., well have fun with Zack, tell him and your parents I said 'Hi.' I'll see you when you get back." I turned and headed for the shower.  
  
I walked down to Abby and Jennifer's house. On the way, I ran into my dad and Kate. They had been out for a stroll. It was nice to see them both happy again. Kate was devastated when Roman died and my dad had helped her pull her life back together. She returned the favor when Dad had gotten somewhat reclusive after the whole Salem Stalker ordeal. He blamed himself for not being able to stop Marlena. Kate pulled him through. I'm really happy for them. They both deserve happiness after everything they've been through.  
  
I knocked on the door and Abby answered. She saw me in the doorway and gave me a big hug. I'd been afraid that she might hold what my mother did to her father against me, but she didn't thankfully. "Belle, I'm glad you're here. Mom and I were just trying to figure out where we should put the pictures in the nursery. Come on in and help out, Mom's upstairs." I jogged up the stairs after her. "I think that the picture of Mom and Dad and me should go right over the crib, but mom thinks it should go over the dresser. Tell her I'm right!" Abby exclaimed. "Well," I began, "I think that it would be better over the changing table so your little brother or sister could look at it when he or she is getting dressed. If it's over the crib, it won't get looked at as much as if it were over there." Jenn said that was a great idea and Abby agreed. "Glad I could be of help," I smiled. "Is there anything else that you guys need to get done? I'm here to help." Jennifer replied, "Well, I'm actually getting kind of tired, the baby decided I needed to be up much earlier than I wanted to get up this morning so I was going to take a little nap, but maybe you and Abby could put together the swing and stroller?" "Absolutely!" Abby and I both declared. As Jenn left the room, I whispered to Abby, "Do you have any idea how to put these things together?" We both giggled and got to work.  
  
Jenn, Abby and I ordered pizza for an early dinner and then I headed home. It was such a nice evening that I took the long way home and meandered by Mimi's place. I could hear Rex and Mimi laughing on the porch. "Belle!" called Rex. "What are you doing in our neck of the woods?" "Well, I was just walking home and thought I'd stop by, but I don't want to interrupt your dinner." Mimi spoke up, "Oh Belle, not to worry, we're all finished. Rex was just about to clean up, weren't you Baby?" "I guess I was" replied Rex. "You guys just relax and I'll take care of the kitchen." "So Mrs. Brady, what were you up to today?" Mimi questioned me. "Oh, I went down to Jenn's house to help her get ready for the baby. She and Abby are so excited about it. I was having fun putting together baby gear and helping them decorate the nursery. It's sooooooo cute Meems, the nursery has a Winnie The Pooh theme. It's so colorful. Abby painted an awesome mural on the wall to make the room look like the 100-acre woods and then all of the bedding and toys are Pooh and his friends. It's the perfect room for a new baby. I'm so excited for them." "Admit it," Mimi said, "You're excited about the baby too. You've always loved babies. I bet you've already told Jenn that you'll baby-sit whenever she and Abby want some mother daughter time haven't you?" "Maybe," I replied with faux mystery. Mimi knew me all too well. "Truth is, I've been thinking about babies a lot lately. Ever since everything happened with Marlena, I've wanted to have a baby. I want to be a mom. I miss mine so much, even though she turned out to be nuts; she still was a great mom while I was growing up. I just hope I don't go crazy like she did." I started to tear up a little. "Belle, you'll be a great mom. Marlena had so many problems. Stefano messed with her mind for years. Since before you were even born. I know you are worried about your family history with mental problems, but you have to realize, your mom, your Aunt Samantha and your sister Sami all had lots of real trauma in their lives. Just think about Sami for a second. Your mom was presumed dead when she was a little girl and she basically grew up without a mom, then Marlena and Roman came back from being 'dead,' the man she thought was her father turned out to be John, someone brainwashed by Stefano to think he was Roman. Marlena cheated on Roman with John and you were born. She kidnapped you, and then there was the whole Alan Harris nightmare. She was destine for some wacky behavior." Mimi was definitely making me feel a little better. She continued, "as for you, aside from the last year which was a nightmare for everyone, you've had a nice normal life with both parents and tons of love and support. I don't think you'll go nuts. But if you do," She added with a coy smile, "I owe you a Coke, ok?" I don't know what I'd do without my Mimi. She could always calm me down and make me feel better. "Deal." I replied.  
  
A/N: So, What do you think? Please read and review. It's my first DOOL fan fic and constructive comments are always welcome. 


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2  
  
By the time I got home, Shawn and Zack were there. "Hey guys, how was the zoo?" Zack spoke up first, excitedly; "it was awesome Belle. We saw kangaroos and polar bears and koala bears and monkeys and alligators and giraffes. They were my favorite. Then we went to Grandpa Shawn's pub for lunch. Then Shawn called Mom and Dad and asked if it was OK if I stayed here with you guys and they said yes so we went to my house to pick up some jammies and toys and then we came here and you came home . . . that's about it." "Well it sounds like you had quite a day." I told him. "We did and we bought you something. I'll go get it." Zack said as he ran out of the room. Shawn came over to give me a kiss hello. "I hope you don't mind if he stays over. He begged me and I thought it would be nice to give my parents a little more time to themselves." I explained, "No Shawn, it's absolutely fine. You know I love Zack like he was my own little brother." As I finished my sentence Zack bounded back into the room. "Here Belle." He held out a bag to me and then snatched it back. "Wait, Shawn said that you could only have this if you were a good girl today. Were you?" He questioned, looking at me suspiciously. I replied with a wink at Shawn, "Oh yes Zack I was, I promise." "Ok, here." He handed the bag to me. "I picked it out, do you like it?" I opened the bag to find a stuffed giraffe looking up at me. "Oh Zack, he's so cute. Thank you, it was a great choice. What do you think I should name him?" Zack looked from the giraffe back to me a couple of times and proclaimed, "I think you should name him Zack!" "Zack it is. What do you think we should do now?" Zack thought for a moment then suggested, "Watch 'The Lion King' so we can show giraffe Zack the giraffes on the movie." Shawn said, "Sounds like a good idea. Why don't you guys go get in your jammies, set the movie up and get settled on the couch while I make some popcorn. Just make sure giraffe Zack doesn't take my spot."  
  
Zack didn't make it to "Hakuna Matata" before he fell asleep. I turned to tell him that Timone and Pumba were my favorite characters and I saw him asleep nestled in his big brothers arms with the stuffed giraffe nestled in his. I was about to alert Shawn to the cuteness he was involved it, when I noticed he was asleep too. Not wanting to miss the Kodak moment, I carefully got up and took a picture of the guys with my digital camera. The flash woke my husband up. "Sorry! I didn't mean to wake you. The brothers Brady were just too cute so I had to take a picture to e-mail to your mom" I whispered. Shawn smiled and replied, "It's OK. We should probably bring this little guy up to bed anyway." Shawn swept Zack up in his arms gently so as not to wake him and we headed upstairs. I tucked him into bed, turned on the night-light as Shawn shut the curtains and overhead light. We stood for a minute in the doorway looking in at the sleeping child. "Just think Belle, some day we'll tuck our kids into bed like this." I agreed, "I can't wait."  
  
The next morning Shawn and I were awakened by the pitter-patter of little feet. Zack came in to get us up at 6:00am. It was earlier than we were used to, but he was so cute that we couldn't help but get up with smiles on our faces. "Mommy and daddy say that I can get up when the first number on my clock is a 6." Shawn whispered in my ear, "remind me to set the clock in his room back an hour the next time Zack stays over." I had to giggle. I whispered back, "We'll make our kids stay in their rooms until the first number is 7." Zack piped up, "What are you guys whispering about? Secrets don't make friends you know." "Sorry Zack, your brother and I were just trying to figure out what we should do for breakfast. We wanted to surprise you." I thought that was pretty good thinking on my feet about that one. Zack took that answer really well. "Cool, I'll go get dressed and meet you downstairs." He yelled as he ran out of the room. Shawn and I headed downstairs to the kitchen. "OK smartie, good recovery, but what are we going to make for him for breakfast?" Shawn said, "hmmm, well what does he like?" Shawn thought for a second before replying, "Chocolate chip pancakes." "Perfect. I can make those." Zack bounded into the kitchen. I told him to take his big brother into the living room to finish watching "The Lion King" while I made breakfast. The guys left and I got to work making chocolate chip pancakes. Using a cookie cutter, I managed to make dog-shaped pancakes that looked like Dalmatians because of the mini chocolate chips. Zack was soooo excited. "Thanks Belle, this is so cool! I've had the best time staying with you guys. Can I stay here every weekend?" Shawn fielded this question, "Well, buddy, you can stay here once in a while, but I think Mom and Dad would miss having you around on the weekends. Besides, all of your toys are at home. I think you'd get bored here every weekend." Zack looked around the kitchen and then declared, "You're right. You guys need to get some toys around here." 


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3  
  
After breakfast, Shawn and I drove Zack home. He couldn't wait to tell his parents the fun he had with us. We were just about to leave the house when the phone rang. It was Julie; Jennifer had had the baby. The guys decided to stay at the house while Hope and I went to visit the newest member of our family. We were met at the elevator by an extremely excited Abby. "I have a little brother! He is so cute and sweet. He weighs 7 pounds 12 ounces, he has light hair like Mom but he looks just like Dad. Come on, you have to come see him." She grabbed my arm and tugged at me to follow her. After a quick stop at the nursery, the three of us went to visit Jenn. After all she had been through with her husband's death and then almost losing the baby more than once, she finally had a look of peace on her face. Something I hadn't seen in a long time. We had just stepped in the door when a nurse came by with the baby, checked Jenn's hospital bracelet against the baby's and then left him in his little bassinet by Jenn's bed. Immediately Abby asked, "can I hold him Mom, please?" Jenn replied with a smile on her face, "honey, you've held him more than I have. Why don't we let Hope and Belle have a turn now and I promise you can hold him a little later." Abby agreed and Jenn picked the baby up out of the bassinet. She said, "I would like to introduce you to Jack Patrick Deveraux" and handed the baby to Hope. Hope cooed at Jack for a minute or two, then without warning, placed the baby in my arms. I looked at her quizzically, but she just said, "I knew you wanted to hold him." I looked down at the baby in my arms. I was blown away. I mean I had held babies before, Mimi and I were the towns most popular babysitters. This time it was different, this time I wasn't thinking about making sure I was holding him right, or willing him not to cry, I was thinking that I really wanted a baby of my own. This was the first time I had held a baby since I had been married. I looked up to see Hope studying my expression. "Thinking that you might like to have one of those some day?" I just nodded.  
  
After I had monopolized baby Jack long enough, Hope and I left the hospital. As we were driving home, I was trying to think about how I was going to suggest to Shawn that we start a family. I was hoping he'd be open to it, but I really wasn't sure. I mean, we hadn't been married all that long. I swear Hope can read my mind sometimes because she asked me what I was thinking. "You're awfully quiet Belle, a penny for your thoughts?" "Oh not too much" I lied, "I was just wondering what Shawn would think about starting a family. I wonder if he's as ready for it as I am." "Well" she began, "I'll tell you what I know. My son has always loved kids. When JT was a newborn, he was really involved in taking care of him. He keeps coming up with reasons to spend the day with Zack, like yesterday. He approached us about it. I don't know how ready he is to become a father himself, but I know he loves kids and I know he'd love to have them with you Belle."  
  
Hope dropped me off at home and Shawn greeted me at the door. "Hey Perfect Girl, how was your day? How are Jennifer and the baby?" "They are wonderful. Baby Jack Patrick Deveraux is healthy and Jennifer can finally relax. All of the worry about the baby's health was thankfully for nothing." I explained. "Belle, it's such a nice day out, why don't we go for a walk?" Shawn suggested. I nodded and we were off. Once we reached the park, I sat down on a bench under a tree that looked out on the playground. "Shawn, I want to ask you something, and I want your honest reaction. I want you to tell me how you really feel, not what you think I want to hear ok?" He looked at me with concern, "Ok, but you're scaring me a little." I continued, "Oh it's nothing to be scared of. I was just wondering, have you ever though about starting a family?" My husband looked me straight in the eye and said, "Belle, I have always dreamt of having babies with you. I can see us walking around this park with our kids. Spending holidays with our families, new ornaments on the Horton Christmas tree. All of it. Why do you ask?" I smiled at him, "What would you say if I said I wanted to start a family soon?" Shawn perked up, grabbed my hands with a twinkle in his eye and asked, "Are you telling me what I think you're telling me?" I was thrown off for a second before I responded, "Oh, no, I'm not pregnant." Shawn definitely looked a little unhappy about that. "But I wanted to know if you wanted to start trying to have a family. Seeing Jack today and taking care of Zack yesterday made me realize that I want to have a baby. What do you say?" "I'd say absolutely and think about all of the fun we'll have trying." He said with a mischievous smile. "In fact, let's head home and get started on that family right now." And with that, we started our walk back to our house. 


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4  
  
The next few months flew by without much recognition. Shawn and I went about our normal lives, which was refreshing since the last year had been so crazy. We had started to try to have a baby. Now that was fun. Then, in November, all our hard 'work' paid off and I got pregnant! I was so excited, I could hardly wait for Shawn to get home from work. I had spent all day trying to figure out how to tell my husband our spectacular news. I cooked a nice candlelight dinner for us and set it up on the terrace. We ate dinner out under the stars. When we were finishing up I picked up Shawn's empty wine glass and declared, "Oh, the wine, I forgot to bring the wine out." I looked Shawn straight in the eye gave him a slight smile and continued, "it's just as well, I can't have it for the next nine months anyway." Shawn's mouth dropped open, and he stared at me for a few seconds. "You're, you're, we're, we're having a baby?" he managed finally. All I did was nod my head and the next thing I knew, Shawn had swept me up in his arms and was twirling me around the terrace. "That's so wonderful Belle! I can't believe it. I'm so thrilled! When are we going to tell the world?" I thought for a second and then it hit me. "I think we should tell everyone when we are decorating the Horton Christmas Tree next weekend. Everyone will be there and I think it will be nice to give everyone some good news the first year that we're decorating the tree without Great Gran." Shawn nodded, "Perfect."  
  
The next Saturday night we were at the Horton homestead. Hope and Bo moved in after Alice died and Shawn and I moved into their old house when we got married. There, like always was a perfect tree in the living room. Everyone was there when Shawn and I arrived. Jenn, Abby, Jack Patrick, Hope, Bo, Zack, Julie, Mickey, Bonnie (much to Julie's frustration), Lucas, Will, Sami, and even my dad and Kate were there. This year we had a few new ornaments to add to the tree, Jack Patrick (JP), Sami (She and Lucas had just gotten married after Thanksgiving) and mine. We were all a part of the Horton clan now. There was however, a lot of sadness this year as we placed Jack's, Maggie's, Doug's and Alice's ornaments on the tree in their absence. My heart ached when Mickey placed his mother's ornament next to Tom's. Everyone was very silent. Shawn was the one who broke the silence. "I am glad that everyone is here together, not only to remember family members who are no longer with us, but to celebrate the new additions to the Horton clan, JP, Sami, Belle . . ." He stood behind me, put his hands on my belly and continued, "and Baby Brady." He said with a smile. The whole room erupted with cheers of congratulations. Hope, Bo and my Dad came over and hugged Shawn and me. I was smiling so much that I thought my cheeks would fall off.  
  
After dinner, when everyone had left, Hope and I went into the kitchen to clean up while Bo and Shawn put Zack to bed. "Hope, can I ask you something?" She turned to me and replied, "Of course sweetie." I took a deep breath and continued. "I was thinking . . . I'm probably going to have a ton of questions about being pregnant and taking care of a newborn. Questions I would normally ask my mom. Hope, you've always been like a second mother to me and I was wondering if I could maybe, come to you with my questions?" She looked at me with tears in her eyes, "Belle, I would be honored if you came to me with any concerns you have. I want you to know that I'll always be there for you. I love you like a daughter." She came over and gave me a reassuring hug. The guys came into the kitchen, "What are you ladies up to?" Asked Bo. Hope answered, "Oh just talking and cleaning up. We're pretty much done." "Well, why don't you and I finish up Hope and the kids can head home." Bo suggested. "Yeah dad, we'd better get back to the house and get some sleep." "Well, have a good night; drive safely and congratulations again. Belle, why don't you call me in a day or two and we'll figure out a day to get together to do some Christmas shopping and maybe a little baby shopping too." Hope said with a big smile. "Absolutely. Love you guys. 'Night."  
  
The next Friday night, Hope and I planned to go out shopping and the Brady boys were going to do . . . whatever it is that they do when they're free of female company. Hope came over to the house to pick me up. I was surprised when the doorbell rang. "Hi Hope, I would have met you out at the car. Lemme grab my purse and coat and we'll be on our way." She stopped me, "Wait a second. I was digging around in the garage and I found a couple of boxes of J.T. and Zack's baby things. I really don't remember what's in them. I haven't looked in them since before we moved into Gran's house, but I figured I would bring them over so you and Shawn could go through it, keep what you want, and then we can give everything else to the hospital thrift store. I do know that the cradle that I used for both Shawn and J.T. is in our attic. I will have Bo get it down and we'll bring it over another day." "This is so great Hope, thank you!" I was so happy; I was going to be able to have a real family again. My mother had ripped mine apart because of whatever caused her to kill so many people. Hope and I headed to Salem Place and I managed to finish my Christmas shopping. When we got home, the guys took all of the boxes out of the car and Hope, Bo and Zack headed home. Shawn and I immediately went though the boxes to see what Hope had brought over. There was a bunch of unisex newborn layette clothes, a Baby Bjorn carrier, a portable high chair that hangs onto the table, a brand new diaper bag and other odds and ends. "You know," Shawn started, "We're going to have to repaint my old room for the baby." I was going to ask Shawn why repaint his old room when Zack's old room had mint green walls perfect for a nursery, but I stopped myself. I realized that Shawn probably wanted his baby to grow up in his or her daddy's old room. I thought it was really sweet. "Yeah, we can go looking for paint colors after the holidays." 


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5  
  
Christmas came and went in a flurry of green and red paper and shimmery ribbon. Before we knew it, New Year's Eve was upon us. Shawn had something planned, but he refused to tell me what it was. All I knew was that it was black tie and we were leaving the house at 6:00pm. Mimi and I discovered that our guys we working together because neither would tell us what was being planned and Meems had been given the same information that I had.  
  
At 6pm, Shawn and I walked out of our house to see a white stretch limousine sitting out front. He offered me his arm. "Your chariot awaits Mrs. Brady." He escorted me to the door, which the driver opened for us. We drove down to Rex and Mimi's house where we picked our friends up as well. After a quick spin around Salem, we arrived at the Penthouse Grill. The restaurant was decorated with black and silver for the festivities. We danced, and ate, and had a wonderful evening. At midnight we rang in the New Year and Rex made a toast. We all raised our glasses, all filled with sparkling cider to "New beginnings and a better New Year."  
  
At about 1:30am I started to fell a little weary. "Shawn, can we head home? I'm worn out." I put a hand on my forehead seemingly to keep it from spinning. "Of course Honey. Meems, will you stay here with Belle while I get our coats?" Mimi nodded her head and hooked arms with me. Rex said, "Ok, I'll call the chauffeur and tell him we're leaving now." I started, "Oh guys, don't cut your evening short on my account. Have a blast. We'll just send the limo back when we get h . . ." I never finished my sentence. Apparently I passed out. The next thing I remember was Shawn kneeling over me telling Rex, "forget the limo, call the paramedics."  
  
Before I knew it, we were at the University Hospital ER. I had nurses taking my blood pressure, pulse, and putting an IV in. I looked to my left and there was my husband, holding my hand and looking at me with concern in his eyes. "Shawn, what happened? One minute I was feeling fine and the next I was on the floor." "I don't know Sweetheart; the doctors are running some tests. We should know what happened soon. How are you feeling?" I thought for a second and said, "I'm feeling OK. Still a little woozy, but not as bad as before." Maybe I partied a little to hearty tonight. I didn't get enough sleep last night to be up as late as I was." Then my heart sank, "Oh God Shawn, what if there's something wrong with the baby?" Shawn stroked my head and said, "I'm sure everything is fine. Let's just give the doctors a chance to figure out what's up and then we'll deal with it." Just then Lexie came in. "Well Belle, how are you feeling? You gave you husband here quite a scare." "I'm feeling OK Lexie, I'm just worried about the baby." Lexie took a look at my chart and then asked, "are you having any cramps or anything like that?" "Nope" was all I said. "I'm going to order an ultrasound to check on the baby while we wait for your blood work to come back. Don't worry Belle, we're going to take really good care of you." She left as Mimi and Rex came in. "Hey Belle, how are you?" Questioned Mimi. Before I could answer, Shawn spoke up, "Hey while you guys are here, I'm going to go call my parents and John, I don't want to leave Belle alone. Is that OK my Perfect Girl?" I nodded and he left.  
  
Lexie came in with the ultrasound machine just after Hope arrived at the hospital. Bo had stayed home with Zack. "Ok Belle, let's check out what's going on with your baby." Lexie said. Hope declared, "I'll just go wait outside" and turned to leave. "No Hope wait, could you stay in here? I need all the support I can get." "Of course." Lexie started the ultrasound. I got butterflies in my stomach. This was the first time I was going to see my baby. I then saw the black and white image on the screen. Lexie pointed out where the baby was. I couldn't decipher the image on the screen, but it was still an amazing sight. All of a sudden, Lexie's face changed. She looked deep in thought. She was searching the image on the screen for something. "Excuse me for just one second." She said before getting up and leaving. A minute or two later, she came in with Dr. Bader. She greeted Hope, Shawn and me before starting up the machine again. She also was studying the image of my baby really closely. What felt like an eternity passed before Dr Bader looked at Shawn and then at me before saying, "I'm sorry, there's no heartbeat." Shawn took my hand, but I yanked it away. "What do you mean there's no heartbeat? What happened? I was fine last week and now you're telling me my baby is dead!" Dr. Bader said, "I'm sorry Belle, we don't always know why something like this happens. I'd like you to stay here overnight for observation and then we can schedule an appointment for you to come and see me next week." With that, she turned and left. I just started to cry. I had been thinking and dreaming about this baby since the day I found out I was pregnant and now it was gone. I then exclaimed, "Oh no, we told everyone about the baby. Now I've got to tell them I lost it. How can I do that?" Hope spoke up, "don't worry about it. I'll tell the family. I know how hard a miscarriage can be. OK?" I managed a faint smile, "Thank you Hope." With that, she smiled back, gave my hand a squeeze, hugged Shawn and left us alone. "Oh Shawn . . ." I didn't need to say anything else, he knew. He sat on the bed next to me and held me until I cried myself to sleep. 


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6  
  
The next day I was released from the hospital. Shawn picked me up. He wanted to go out to eat something because there wasn't anything easy for him to cook in the house, but I told him I wasn't hungry and I just wanted to be home. When we got there, Dad, Kate, Hope and Bo were there. They figured that Shawn and I could use some company and although I didn't feel that way at first, it was a nice distraction. We ordered food and played cards for a couple of hours before Dad and Kate had to leave. As they were leaving, Dad gave me a hug and whispered in my ear, "I'm so sorry Izzy." "Thanks Daddy." I whispered back. "We'll see you next week for dinner." And they left. Bo and Shawn went into the kitchen to put the leftovers away. I sat heavily on the couch and sighed. Hope sat down next to me and put her arm around my shoulders. "How are you holding up?" She asked. "I'm OK until I've got some down time. Then I start to think about what I should have done differently. I shouldn't have exerted myself so much New Years Eve. I should have been more careful. I should have . . . "Hope interrupted me, "Belle, don't think of things like that. A miscarriage is a horrible thing, but you can't blame yourself. It will eat you up inside. I know, I've been there." I was shocked, "Really? When?" Hope took a deep breath and continued, "It was the year before Shawn-D was born. Bo had found out that Victor was his father instead of Shawn and he was devastated. Victor had been making the Brady family's lives hell, so Bo made a deal with the devil. He would get to know Victor as his father and Victor would leave the Bradys alone. Victor agreed under the condition that Bo and I would move into the Kiriakis mansion. I was really unhappy about it, but we agreed. I found about I was pregnant and told Bo. It wasn't the best timing, but I was still excited about it. The problem was that Bo was starting to act like Victor and that was really upsetting to me. That was the man I married. I was so aggravated with the situation that I ultimately lost the baby." I was stunned. I never thought that Bo could ever act like Victor. It was comforting to know that someone else understood what I was feeling though. "I'm sorry Hope." "Well, it was really hard at the time, but the situation got better once Bo put his foot down regarding Victor and soon I was pregnant with Shawn. It all worked out for us, and it will all work out for you and Shawn. You have to believe that." Hope sounded so sure that she actually made believe it too. "Thanks Hope. I'm sure it will all work out some day. We'd better go see what the guys are doing. It's too quiet in the kitchen for them to actually be putting food away."  
  
Later in January there was a huge snowstorm. Everything was closed and cancelled for 3 days. After the snow stopped, I walked up to Mimi and Rex's house. There was nothing else to do since our power was out. When I got there, Rex was out with the snow blower so Mimi and I had a cup of tea. While we were chatting, Mimi looked distracted. "Hey Meems, did you hear what I just said?" "Huh? What? Oh sorry, my mind wandered off for a second." She stammered. "OK what gives? You're really out of it today." Mimi took a breath and said, "Belle, I have something to tell you but I don't know how." "We've been friends since Kindergarten, you know you can tell me anything. Spill. What's going on?" I encouraged. "OK, remember that trip Rex and I took over Columbus Day weekend?" I nodded my head. "Well, we had a wonderful romantic weekend and we came home with a surprise." "Ok, what's the surprise?" Mimi looked away from me. "Belle . . . I'm pregnant." I was in shock. I just stared at her as she continued, "I found out New Years Day. I couldn't tell you when I found out because of what you had just gone through. I would have waited longer, but I'll be showing pretty soon, and I wanted to tell you before you started getting suspicious." "A a are you and Rex getting married?" I questioned. "We haven't really talked about it. I know we will someday, whether it is before the baby is born or not, I'm not sure." I was devastated. I knew Mimi was waiting for my reaction. I wanted to scream, but I couldn't. Mimi is my best friend. I had to put my feelings aside and be happy for her. "Congratulations. You must be excited. When are you due?" Mimi's expression softened. "I'm due around the 4th of July. We're getting excited, now that we're over the initial shock. You know, I'm going to need some help getting everything ready for the baby. I'd love it if you'd help me, but I understand if you can't right now." Mimi could always tell what I was really feeling, even if I was trying to hide something. "No Meems, I'd love to help you. I'm really happy for you, I am. I just wish things had happened differently. If I hadn't had the miscarriage, our babies would have been born within a couple of weeks of each other. That would have been really great. But hey, Shawn and I will keep trying and who knows, maybe our kids will be in the same grade together." I smiled and patted Mimi's belly. She smiled and simply said, "Thanks Belle."  
  
Once I got home, I broke down. Shawn greeted me at the door and I fell into his embrace. "Belle, sweetie, what's the matter?" "Mimi's pregnant. She and Rex aren't even married. They weren't planning on a baby. How come they're having a baby and we're not?" Shawn guided me over to the couch. "Honey, don't worry about it. We've just got to be patient."  
  
A/N Well, what do you think? Please send me feedback so I know if I should continue with the story. Thanks! 


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7  
  
Valentine's Day was fast approaching and I wanted to do something special with Shawn. Last Valentine's Day was so horrible for him; both of his grandfathers were killed that night, one by the Salem Stalker and the other was electrocuted in his bathtub. I wanted to take his mind off of that so I decided to surprise him with a weekend away at Green Mountain Lodge. A romantic getaway was just what we needed. I met Shawn at work on Friday evening. "Hey Beautiful, what are you doing here?" Shawn greeted me with a kiss. "I'm kidnapping you for Valentine's Day." I declared. "Oh really? Where to?" "Silly, hostage, if I told you then it wouldn't be a kidnapping now would it? Get in the car!" I teased. Shawn put his hands in the air and got in the car. I decided to go for the full kidnapping and blindfold Shawn so he had no idea where we were headed. He played along with a smile on his face.  
We arrived at the lodge just after the sun set. I checked in at the front desk, parked the car, lead Shawn inside and took of his blindfold. "Happy Valentine's Day Shawn!" I exclaimed. "Belle, this was a great idea. I love this place. It's a perfect Valentine's gift." "I just want to relax up here with you. No work, no distractions, just you and me and a crackling fire." I explained. Shawn pulled me into his arms, looking me straight in the eyes and said, "Do you know how wonderful you are Isabella Brady?" "No, why don't you show me?" Shawn swept me up in his arms and carried me upstairs to our room.  
  
We had a wonderful weekend; we skied a little, took a nice walk around the lodge, but spent most of the time in each other's arms in our room. Once we got home, Shawn immediately disappeared up to our room. He emerged a minute or two later, with a card and a little box wrapped in silver paper. "Happy Valentine's Day, Belle." He said as he handed me the gift. I read the card, "To the most amazing wife I could have asked for. I love you with all my heart. You are and always will be my Perfect Girl. Love, Shawn." I unwrapped the gift and opened the box. Inside was a silver charm bracelet. I lifted it out of the box. There was a charm in the shape of a wedding cake with our names and our wedding date engraved on it, a camping tent, a snowman charm, a ballerina charm, a painter's palate charm, and a heart charm with February 14, 2005 engraved on it. "Oh Shawn, I absolutely love it. Put it on for me please?" He took the bracelet from me and put it on my wrist. He held up the wedding charm, "It's pretty obvious why I put this charm on the bracelet, because it was the happiest day of my life." He picked up the tent next. "This was to commemorate our tent pitching escapade in Puerto Rico and our first kiss. The snowman charm is to remind you of the night we declared our love for one another. The ballerina charm is to signify the dance floors we cut up during those last blast dances, and the paint palate is because you're such a wonderful designer. I added the heart to signify my love for you and I put the date on it so you'll always remember when I gave the bracelet to you. There's a lot more room on the bracelet or charms to celebrate and honor more events in life to come." I have the most wonderful husband in the world.  
  
Before I knew it, spring had sprung. One day I was walking around Salem Place with Mimi, looking at stuff for her baby's nursery when I literally bumped into my sister. "Hey Sami, what are you doing here? Looking for a baby shower gift?" I questioned. "Not exactly. I just left the doctor's office. It turns out, Will is going to have a little brother or sister for Christmas. I had some errands to run and I wandered in here to look over all of the cute baby things. Mimi spoke first, "Congratulations Sami!" and gave her a hug. "Yeah Sami, that's great." I managed. I disguised my disappointment that it was she who had the baby news and not me pretty well. Always tactful, my sister questioned, "so Belle, when are you going to join Mimi and me in the 'baby club' huh? You've been married longer than I have." Mimi elbowed her in the arm and gave her a look. Sami was puzzled for a moment but then realized what she had said. "Oh Belle, I'm so sorry, I wasn't thinking." "That's OK Sami." Mimi saved us. "Well Sami, sorry, but we're on a tight schedule. We're meeting the guys at 2:00." Sami spoke next, "Oh sure, Belle, I'll talk to you later." She turned and left. "Are you really OK Belle? You handled Sami really well." Asked Mimi. "Yeah I am. My sister suffers from 'open mouth, insert foot syndrome'. I knew she didn't mean anything hurtful." "Well, as long as you're OK. I've got an idea, let's abandon the baby shopping for the day and head over to The Java Café get a couple of decaf lattes. What do you say?" suggested Mimi. "I'd say that was a great idea." 


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8  
  
By May, I was getting frustrated with the fact that I hadn't gotten pregnant yet. I made an appointment with a fertility specialist, Dr. Greenwood. She ordered some blood tests to check my hormone levels, and they all came back normal. Ultimately, she told me what Shawn had been telling me all along, that we need to be patient. She said if I wasn't pregnant in 6 months, then we could order some more invasive tests. She said that though it might be hard, I should try not to focus on getting pregnant, just let nature take its course. Easy for her to say. Her best friend and sister weren't pregnant and talking about babies all the time. On top of that, Mother's Day was coming and the TV was plastered with ads for "what to get Mom to show her you care". Not only was I not a mom, but I couldn't even spend Mother's Day with my mother. One evening, Shawn and I were cuddled up on the couch watching TV when one of those damn Mother's Day commercials came on. I got so angry I shut the TV off and slammed the remote down on the coffee table. "Belle, what's wrong?" questioned Shawn. "What's wrong? I'll tell you what's wrong. I hate Mother's Day! It's a stupid holiday Hallmark made up to sell cards and dumb little trinkets. It's just so obnoxious. It sucks for anyone who isn't a mother or who doesn't have a mother. This year is my first Mother's Day since Marlena died. That's hard in and of itself, but to add to it, I would have been 7 months pregnant if I hadn't lost the baby. I'm surrounded by babies and pregnant women and I'm jealous. I just want Mother's Day to go away. The TV and card stores and e-mail ads are a constant reminder of what's missing in my life. I just want to crawl into bed and sleep until May 15th. Can I do that? Call in sick for the next week and hide? Please?" Shawn held me close. "I'm afraid you can't do that. I wish I knew what to say to make you feel better, but I don't. Do you want to skip going to the Mother's Day Brunch Sunday? I'll stay home with you and we can eat popcorn and watch movies that have nothing to do with mothers like . . . The Matrix, or something." "No Shawn, I don't want to keep you away from Hope on Mother's Day. I'll deal with it. I just need you to hold my hand through it OK?" Shawn kissed the top of my head, "Absolutely, and who knows, maybe next year, you can enjoy Mother's Day too." "I hope so."  
  
The Mother's Day brunch was not as horrible as I had anticipated. That might have something to do with the large mimosa that Shawn placed in my hand when we got there. I spent the day joined at the hip with my husband. He was my strength. At one point, Hope took me aside and asked, "How are you doing? Today can't be easy for you." I am still amazed at how much Hope cares about everyone, including me. "I've had better days, but Shawn's been just wonderful. He hasn't left my side to go hang out with the guys and leave me alone in baby central." I motioned toward the table where Jenn, Sami and Mimi were. "Most of the time I can handle all the baby talk, but not today." "Well, I think you're doing just fine. Oop, I'd better go rescue Will, Zack has been playing with him all morning and he looks like he's had enough." Hope declared as she headed towards the boys. 


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9  
  
Three years to the day after Shawn and I first 'discovered' the Gemini twins, Rex and Mimi's baby girl Cassandra was born. We were at the annual Horton-Brady 4th of July party when Mimi went into labor. We all went to the hospital and waited anxiously for news. Cassandra Kate Brady was born July 4th 2005 at 8:39pm. Shawn and I were the first people to visit with the new parents. When I got to Mimi's bedside, she handed the baby right over to me and said, "Cassandra, meet your auntie Belle." I looked down at the most beautiful baby girl I had ever seen. "Hi sweetie. I'm your auntie and it's my job to spoil you rotten, give you sugary stuff that mommy and daddy won't give you and let you get away with everything." I cooed. I handed the baby back to Mimi. "She's so beautiful Meems. I'm so happy for you." I genuinely meant it. "I would keep an eye on the baby when Belle's around though because I'm sure she's gonna try to smuggle her out of the hospital and take her home with us." Shawn joked. "Well, it's funny you should mention that. Rex and I were thinking about guardians for Cassandra and you two were the first people on our list. Would you be her Godparents?" "Of course!" I exclaimed, "if it's OK with Shawn that is." "Absolutely. We'd be honored to be her Godparents," agreed Shawn.  
  
On the way home from the hospital, Shawn and I stopped by the pub for dinner. Grandpa Shawn came over and we told him all about baby Cassandra. After he went off to put in our orders, I reached over the table and took Shawn's hand. "You know what? I think I'm just going to enjoy our new Goddaughter and stop obsessing over having a baby of our own. It will happen some day and if it doesn't then we can adopt." Shawn leaned over the table and kissed me. "I'm so glad that you think that way. No matter what, we will have a family."  
  
About a month later, Shawn and I had Rex, Mimi, and baby Andi over for dinner. It was such a nice August night that we ate dinner out on the terrace. Of course, Andi didn't leave my arms the entire evening. I was happy to get my baby fix every couple of days. Shawn and I even took Andi overnight one weekend to give her parents a break. After dessert, we sat and chatted for a while I snuggled with a sleeping baby. I was in heaven. Around 9:30 I placed Andi in her stroller and Rex and Mimi headed home. Shawn and I stayed outside enjoying the sounds of nature cuddling in our porch swing. "Shawn, I'm late." He opened one eye, and said, "Late for what?" I looked at him in disbelief, "Late as in late." Finally a glimmer of recognition crossed my husband's face. "Ohhhh. Well, what do you think?" "I'm afraid to take the test. I'm so tired of disappointments when it comes to those two little blue lines that are supposed to appear on the home test and never do." Shawn turned to look at me. "I think you should take the test tomorrow morning. I'll be there with you blue lines or not. We're in this together for the ups and downs, OK?" "All right. Well, we have to clean up from dinner so we can get to bed at a decent hour." I got up and headed to the kitchen. 


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10  
  
The next morning was a scene out of a TV show. Shawn was sitting on the edge of the bed and I was in the bathroom watching the clock and trying not to stare at the little stick in my hand. Five minutes passed and I looked down. I ran out of the bathroom, and jumped on the bed screaming, "It's blue, it's blue!" Shawn took the test out of my hand, "We're having a baby! Belle, this is so great! We have to tell everyone!" He reached across the bed and picked up the phone. I grabbed it out of his hand and hung it back up. He gave me a puzzled look, "Why'd you do that?" I exhaled sharply, "because I'm not ready to tell anyone just yet. After what happened last time, I want to wait a little while longer to tell everyone. Even though your mom was the one who broke the bad news to everyone, I still had to deal with pity looks and glances for weeks after I lost the baby. If God forbid it happens again, I don't want to have to deal with that." "Ok Belle, it's up to you, but I really think we should at least tell our parents. We can wait to tell the rest of the world." Agreed Shawn. "Deal, but my Dad and Kate are out of the country travelling around Europe for a while so I don't know when we'll be able to tell him. We can go let your parents know though."  
  
We told Hope and Bo our amazing news and of course they were excited for us. Besides them and my dad, we didn't tell anyone about the baby until Thanksgiving. It was the perfect time because everyone was gathered together. We all got together at Hope and Bo's house. It was pretty much the same crew that was around when we decorated the Christmas tree last year with the addition of Rex, Mimi and Andi. As was the tradition, we went around the table telling what we were thankful for. Health, family, good fortune were all mentioned by family members. I happened to be the last one to say what I was thankful for. "I am thankful that Shawn and I are getting a second chance at becoming parents this May." Hope smiled at me, Shawn squeezed my hand and the family clapped. I was so incredibly happy. I was already in my second trimester, so the threat of a miscarriage was greatly reduced.  
  
Two weeks later we were all assembled at the Horton homestead again to decorate the Christmas tree. Just like last year we had a new ornament to add to the tree. Mason, Lucas and Sami's three-week-old was added to the tree. JP toddled around the living room, chasing Zack, Will and Abby were playing DJ and sneaking twisted Christmas Carols in to the playlist whenever people weren't paying attention. It was wonderful. After we had decorated the tree, the family dispersed into little groups to chit chat. About 15 minutes later Hope came up behind Shawn and me and declared, "There's one more ornament to put on the tree." Everyone turned to see what she was talking about. Hope held up a silver bulb with 'Baby' written on it in light blue. She continued, "Uncle Mickey, Julie, Jennifer, Bo and I remember the first time this ornament graced our Christmas tree. It was 1986, the year I was pregnant with Shawn. He was the first Horton to get an ornament before he was born. I thought it was fitting that we put it on the tree this year to celebrate Shawn and Belle's baby to be." I think the baby liked that idea, because I felt it move for the first time as she said that. 


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11  
  
Just after New Years, I had my first ultrasound scheduled. I was petrified. After what happened only a year ago, I didn't want to go. Shawn was determined to make me overcome my fears. "Belle, it's different now. You're farther along than last time. You've been feeling the baby kick and move. Everything's going to be fine." He reassured me as we walked into the elevator. "I understand that Shawn, but what if they find something wrong with the baby? I don't know that I could handle a disappointment like that." Shawn took my hands in his. "I'm sure everything will be fine, but if they do find something wrong, we can handle it. We've been through so many tough times and we're stronger for it. Just trust that we won't be given anything we can't deal with." That made me a bit more relaxed, but my fears came back just as Dr. Bader was putting the ultrasound gel on my growing belly. The anxiety I felt last time paled in comparison to the fright I was feeling this time. Last year, I didn't know what the ultrasound could show. Now I did and it scared me to death. The doctor dimmed the lights, turned on the machine and put the ultrasound wand on my stomach. She moved it around for a few seconds and then stopped on one particular spot. She pressed a few buttons and then the room was filled with a thumping sound that reminded me of a galloping horse. Dr. Bader smiled at us and said, "that's the sound of your baby's heartbeat. Nice and strong." My eyes welled up with tears of joy. It was the most wonderful sound in the world to me. Shawn was staring at the monitor with a look of disbelief on his face. Dr. Bader continued with the ultrasound. I was entranced with the image of our baby on the screen. I saw him or her moving and at one point sucking their thumb. It was awesome. "Would you like to know the sex of the baby?" Questioned Dr. Bader. I looked at Shawn, and he shook his head. "No thank you, we'd like to be surprised." "That's fine. I'm happy to say your baby looks absolutely fine. You're progressing nicely. Just keep taking your prenatal vitamins, eat right and I will see you next month." "Thank you Dr. Bader." I said. She handed me a few still pictures from the ultrasound before she left so I could get changed out of the hospital gown. I got dressed and Shawn and I headed to his parents' house to show them the first pictures of their first grandchild.  
  
March came and Mimi and I were once again at Salem place, shopping for nursery items. Andi, Mimi and I basically bought out the "Bouncing Baby Buggy Boutique." I wanted to surprise Shawn with the nursery. We had painted his old bedroom a wonderful pale yellow. He gave me free reign over what to put in the baby's room. "You're the designer. I'm sure what ever you put together will be wonderful." He told me. So for the last 5 weeks, Shawn had been literally locked out of the nursery. I didn't want curiosity to get the best of him and have him peek. This particular day, the daddy-to-be was out with his little brother. Zack had been feeling a little neglected by his big brother lately, so Shawn took him out for a Brady Brother's day out. It was the perfect opportunity for Mimi and me to put the finishing touches on the baby's room. We brought all of our purchases upstairs and got to work. I decided that a good unisex nursery theme was celestial. Shawn and I had purchased a white crib, changing table and dresser a few months back. Mimi and I bought bedding that had yellow and silver stars on a light blue background. The mobile was yellow stars around a white moon in the middle. Everything was coordinated. My favorite decoration was the constellations we put on the wall and ceiling with glow-in-the-dark stars outlined with silver paint so they could be seen in the daytime and at night.  
  
By the time Shawn got back from dropping Zack off at home, Mimi and Andi had helped me finish the nursery and left. I greeted Shawn at the door. "I have something to show you. Close your eyes and come on upstairs." I led him up the stairs and we stopped at the nursery door. On it was a plaque with stars and moons that said, 'shhhhh . . . Baby Sleeping.' I opened the door, "ok, open your eyes." Shawn gasped when he saw the room. "Oh Belle, it's perfect. The baby is going to love it. You did a wonderful job." I smiled and led him to sit in the yellow glider. From there he could see everything in the room, the moon and star throw rug, the yellow toy box with silver stars, the bookcase filled with some of our favorite bedtime stories like Goodnight Moon and Love You Forever and the stocked changing table, complete with tiny diapers, onsies, and receiving blankets. "All we need now is the baby." I declared. Shawn sat up in the glider, put his head on my swollen belly and said, "Baby, you are going to love this room. We can't wait to meet you." And then kissed my tummy. 


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12  
  
One day in late April, Hope called me out of the blue and suggested we go out to lunch. I had nothing planned, so she picked me up and we headed for the pub. I opened the door, and all of my friends and family yelled, "Surprise!" Hope and Mimi had planned a surprise baby shower for me. I had just finished making my way around the room greeting everyone when there was a tap on my shoulder. I turned to see Chloe standing there with a baby gift in hand. "Oh my God Chloe! What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be in New York?" I exclaimed as I gave her a hug. She looked me up and down and said, "You don't think I'd miss your baby shower now do you? The timing actually worked out perfectly because I'm in Salem for about 3 weeks helping your brother with some plans for the Opera House. They're starting construction in June and should be finished by the end of the year. Then I'll be moving back to Salem some time next year." Chloe explained. "Wonderful, maybe you'll be around when the baby is born. Let's go check out the buffet, I'm starving."  
  
Saturday, May 1, 2006 is a day I will remember for the rest of my life. It started out like any other day. Shawn and I got up, had breakfast and then sat out on the porch to read the paper. As I was getting up to head upstairs to get dressed, my water broke. I told Shawn and I thought he was going to jump out of his skin. We managed to call Dr. Bader, our parents and throw the suitcase and car seat in the car. Shawn even stayed close to the speed limit on the way to the hospital. The next 15 hours were a blur of people, pain and then the most wonderful invention ever created, the epidural. At around 9:15 it was time to push. Unfortunately it didn't go so well. I pushed for 2 hours and nothing happened. At 11:15, an alarm went off in the delivery room. I heard something about the heartbeat dropping. When I stopped pushing, the alarm stopped, but every push after that, the alarm started again. Shortly thereafter, Dr. Bader told us that the baby wasn't tolerating the delivery and the heart rate was getting dangerously low with every push. It was time to get the baby out and fast. I was prepped for an emergency C- Section. I was petrified. I had made it this far and I was so afraid that I would lose the baby now. Shawn was able to come into the operating room with me. He held my hand and wiped my tears while I was in surgery. Finally, at 11:52pm, a piercing cry rang out in the OR. "Shawn and Belle, say hello to your daughter." Said Dr. Bader and she held up the baby so we could see her over the sheet. "We're going to get her cleaned up and then we'll bring her over to you Belle. Shawn, do you want to cut the cord?" Shawn left my side to go get a closer look at our little girl. She was cleaned up, suctioned a little and then wrapped in a blanket. Shawn brought her over for me to see. I pulled my arms out from under the sheet to hold my daughter for the first time. My husband placed her in my arms. He bent down kissed the baby, then me. "So how's it feel to finally be a mother?" He whispered in my ear. "Better than I could have ever imagined." 


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13  
  
A few minutes later, I was wheeled into recovery and Shawn was able to take the baby out to meet her grandparents who had been waiting anxiously outside. Hope, Bo, Kate and my Dad were there. He came out of the operating room and declared, "Here she is." Hope cried tears of joy. They all walked to the nursery where a nurse took her to be bathed, weighed, measured, footprinted and whatever else they do with newborns. When she was all cleaned up, the nurse brought her in to see me. The grandparents had gone home by then. After Shawn saw them off, he came up to visit us. "Hey Perfect Girl, how are you feeling?" He asked as he walked through the door. "Shawn, you have no idea how happy I am that we finally have a healthy baby. I have been worrying for the last nine months and now she's finally here. I still can't believe that I can hold her in my arms. It's a dream come true." Shawn smiled at me and looked down at his daughter. "She's perfect, just like her mom. Her grandparents asked me what we're going to name their granddaughter." I thought for a minute, "Do you remember, the night your great-Gran died, I said that if we had a little girl, we could name her Alice? Well, what do you think of that?" Shawn looking up at me with tears in his eyes. "Alice Brady . . . I like that. I think Great Gran would be very proud to have her great great granddaughter be her namesake. What about a middle name for her?" "Well, you were named after your grandfathers. Why don't we continue the tradition and name her Alice Hope?" I suggested. "Your mom has been so wonderful through everything we've dealt with and we've been hoping for a healthy baby, it just seems right." Shawn took the baby out of my arms. He held her up and asked, "What do you think? Do you like your name; Alice Hope Brady?" She breathed a contented sigh as an answer to Shawn's question. "I guess that's a yes."  
  
The next day, Alice and I had many visitors, Sami, Brady and Chloe, Mimi and Rex, my dad and Kate and Hope and Bo. After Shawn's parents arrived, I handed the baby to Hope and said, "I'd like to introduce you to your granddaughter, Alice Hope Brady." "We figured that our daughter needed to be named after strong, wonderful women in our lives." Explained Shawn. Hope's eyes welled up, "Thank you." "No, thank you." I started, "You were there to help me, help us, through some really tough times. You gave me hope that everything would turn out fine in the end and you were right. I'll always be grateful to you for that." Hope handed Alice to Bo and hugged me.  
  
Two weeks later was Mother's Day. In contrast to last year, I was so excited that I could barely stand it. Shawn surprised me with breakfast in bed. He served it to me with Alice in her Baby Bjorn carrier on his chest. She was unimpressed with the whole idea of Mother's Day; she slept through the entire breakfast. When I was finished, Shawn and Alice disappeared from the room. A minute later they came in with 2 presents. He handed me the baby and then the larger of the two gifts. "This one Alice picked out." He declared. I opened the box and found a gift certificate for a day at favorite spa. "Alice figured that Mommy deserved a day of pampering." I looked down at my sleeping daughter and whispered, "thank you Alice." Shawn then handed me the other box. "And this one's from me." Inside were two new charms for my charm bracelet. The first one was a silhouette of a little girl's head with "Alice Hope Brady, May 1, 2006" engraved on it. The second charm was a flower bouquet with 2006 engraved on it. "So you'll always remember your first Mother's Day as a mom." He said with a kiss. "It's wonderful. I couldn't ask for a better Mother's Day. I have a marvelous husband and a precious baby girl. My life is perfect."  
  
The End.  
  
A/N Well I hope you liked my story. Let me know what you thought ( 


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